People We Meet on Vacation

People We Meet on Vacation is a sweet and uplifting contemporary romance. It delves into more than just the topic of love. It explores life decisions and goals and how they may need to be revisited when life becomes unfulfilling.

Poppy and Alex have been friends since college, and they routinely take a summer trip together. However, it has been two years now since they have seen or spoken to each other due to something that happened on their last summer trip. Now, Poppy is determined to mend their friendship, so she plans a summer trip with Alex to Palm Springs. The story follows them on their trip trying to get back to the way things were before they messed things up. But along the way, they also confront deeper feelings they have for each other and what those feelings mean for their friendship.

The relationship between Poppy and Alex is so sweet and loving. They both accept the other person's flaws and eccentricities. They support one another's dreams and ambitions, and they are there when the other needs them. Alex is especially supportive and kind. It is clear that they love each other deeply and do not want to jeopardize a beautiful friendship. However, it is also clear that their friendship cannot stay as is. There are emotions that must be dealt with and life decisions that have to be made.

It is easy for the reader to root for Poppy and Alex. Though there are obstacles in their path, mostly created by their individual issues, they insist on working on their friendship because it is important to them. It is easy to see that they each want the other to be happy above all else. It's a relationship the reader can respect and appreciate. I, for one, love that this book does not create conflict for the characters just for the sake of having conflict. The conflicts that do arise are organic and believable in the situations.

I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone who enjoys contemporary romance stories that are focused on real, believable relationships between complex, self-aware individuals.